This season's looks are designed to empower, with strong silhouettes and sharp shoulders accentuated with bold colors. Add some luxurious textured fabrics and dramatic prints and Fall Winter 2009 is in a class of its own when it comes to sophistication.
Tweeds are to be worn with an urban twist whilst leather takes on a much more feminine feel. Fur becomes fashionably funky in neon brights. Velvet has a modern make over in soft drapey cuts and sharp styling. It’s a fashion faux pas this season to mismatch prints, and classic houndstooth checks (micro to jumbo) remerge with a vengeance.
Fabrics for Fall Winter 2009
- Urban Tweed: Traditional men’s fabrics such as plaid and salt and pepper tweed take pride of place for city wear. To avoid the country casual look, keep to strong urban colors rather than rural russet and green. Underpin rough textures with a soft silk blouse or satin vest, giving a more feminine twist. Team tweed jackets with leather trousers, jeans, sheer blouses or animal-print accessories. Pairing these heavy fabrics with light simple pieces and patent courts is this season’s fashion trick. Try a men’s oversized tweed coat worn with a belt and pearls for a softer feel.
- Shaggy Fur: Fur takes on a new relaxed sexy glamour with shaggy “chubbies” (Yeti-like coats) in a kaleidoscope of colors, and Mongolian lambskin throw-on shrugs. Fur is the perfect partner to leather, whether pants or this season's sexy over-the-knee boots. For a mismatched paring, team fur with a chiffon dress.
- Comfortable Cashmere: Choose a camel coat with the minimum of fashion details for a long lasting investment. Make it cashmere and you have the classic coat of the season, simple, easy luxury at its best. Cashmere twinsets are also making a comeback, just add some oversized pearls or a statement necklace to bring them up-
- Butter-soft Leather:Tough leather gets a ladylike spin with softer more billowy shapes. Smart and chic, this season sees butter-soft biker jackets and dress coats, knee length skirt-suits (YSL and Max Mara) and ladylike shift dresses (Loewe, Bottega Veneta) so light and supple that they almost look like silk. Forget rock n’ roll; think Left-bank chic.
- Luxurious Velvet: Velvets in jeweled hues provide dramatic statement pieces, far removed from the frumpy velvet ballgowns of yesteryear. Add leather bracelets or a thin belt around the waist to give the fabric a modern edge. Velvet has been revitalized in sharp styling and swathes of fabric which feel luxurious against the skin. On the Fall 2009 runways, Christopher Kane paired his velvet with bare legs and brogues, whilst Chloè offered elegant asymmetric jumpsuits in black velvet.
Prints for Fall Winter 2009
Forget ditsy florals, Fall 2009 sees some very grown-up prints. From fierce animal prints in all colors of the rainbow, micro to jumbo houndstooth checks to blurred photo canvases and painterly abstracts.
Traditional paisley is laced with black and tapestry florals have a washed-out look. There are loud geometrics inspired by Russian constructivism, and a continuation of last season’s oversized polka-dots. Movie-icon photo-prints lend some funky fun to fashion this fall.
Find dramatic creativity in houndstooth suits and bags, from Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs’ houndstooth with taffeta at Louis Vuitton. Vibrant patchwork pieces from Dries Van Noten, Rodarte and Meadham Kirchoff also kickstart a mini trend and animal prints abound, dark and brooding on rich fabrics and luxurious textures.